Tuesday, August 26, 2014 -- New CBR Terminal Proposed -- Miscellaneous -- For Investors Only

I track CBR terminals here. 

A reader sent me this link, proposing a new CBR terminal:

PLAZA, N.D.-- Dakota Gold Transfer - Plaza, LLC (“Dakota Gold”) announced today that the company plans to develop a crude oil transload facility in Mountrail County, North Dakota. Strategically located on a 350-acre site in the eastern section of the prolific Bakken and Three Forks shale oil producing areas, the Plaza Terminal will provide refiners, marketers and producers with new options for reaching multiple markets across the United States and Canada via rail and pipeline. 

Located on a private rail spur controlled by Dakota Gold under a long-term lease, the state-of-the-art terminal will be served by the Canadian Pacific Railway.

The Plaza Terminal will aggregate crude oil produced in Mountrail and neighboring counties, utilizing gathering pipelines and trucks. The terminal will also provide crude oil storage services through on-site tankage.

The rail facility will have a throughput capacity of 70,000 barrels per day (bpd) and storage capacity of more than 300,000 barrels, with expansion to 600,000 barrels during a planned second phase. The terminal’s design includes two loop tracks with storage for one to two additional trains on the private rail spur, a covered loading barn, a 14-arm system capable of loading a unit train in approximately 14 hours, 15 truck unloading bays and three 103,000-barrel storage tanks.

The Plaza site is large enough to allow for substantial expansions of storage and transload capacity as customer demand increases.

Much more at the link.

When I was out northeast of Watford City over the weekend, I did not realize how close I was to this area. I may have to go back, drive a bit farther east, take a look.

Plaza, ND is about 10 miles east of Parshall, ND -- one of the centers of the activity right now; it's just outside the reservation.  It may be one of the farthest east terminals, and yet it's right at one of the busiest locations. 

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Obama Legacy

The headline: Housing market stuck in downward spiral: Shari Olefson. His words, not mine. The "problem" is that all those illegal children coming across the border are not buying new OR existing homes. If we can change that dynamic somehow, that would help. Perhaps the government could buy homes for Guatemala children between the ages of 10 and 16. Government housing for this relatively small, new group of immigrants couldn't possibly cost more than the government healthcare web site. Okay, bad example.

Back to the linked article:

New homes sales fell by 2.4% from June to July, yet July’s new homes sales were up 12.3% from the previous year.

“New construction appears to be up significantly from last year but when you dig beneath the surface what’s up are multifamily homes,” says Olefson. “Single family homes are up by just 1% which defies logic because we’ve had over 3 million single family units that have been converted to residential rentals.”

Some believe that these numbers mean that housing is approaching normal levels, but Olefson disagrees. She sees more potential buyers turning into renters and believes there’s a lack of suitable housing and loan products for what people can afford now.

Part of the problem is that young couples can't find/won't buy "starter" homes.

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Burger King to leave the US, over taxes. Warren Buffett, one of the president's BFF's, will finance the merger with the Canadian donut company. It looks like BRK-B may trade at new highs today; if not, awful close.

Disclaimer: this is not an investment site. Do not make any investment decisions based on anything you read here or think you may have read here. 

Trading at new highs today: ARII, CP, EEQ, EPD, OKE, PBR, PSX, QEP, RAIL, WLL, WPX.

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Did He Really Say This?

The Deccan Chronicle is reporting:

White House spokesman Josh Earnest, on Monday, said that Obama has demonstrated his willingness to order military action when necessary to protect American citizens.

"That is true without regard to international boundaries," he said. The White House would not comment on Obama's decision to authorize surveillance flights over Syria.

Oh, well. 

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Ever Since Benghazi And The Bergdahl Swap ....

... it seems US intelligence is struggling. It seems to have started with Benghazi, and now news sources are saying US intelligence agencies have very little "intel" on the Islamic State. It's agreed US intel was either unaware of the Islamic State's preparation for "shock and awe" or no one was listening.

But as Hillary says, "What does it matter?"